


A Life Half-Lived

by TheRedWulf



Series: Sanvos One Shots [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: A life lived in fear is a life half-lived, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Its time, Modern Era, Nautical, Photography, Rare Pair, Silver Fox!Davos, Smut, Storm's End, Strong!Sansa, Villain!Jaime, We're Naming This Ship, sanvos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 04:35:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20829500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedWulf/pseuds/TheRedWulf
Summary: AU - Modern - In which a trip to Storm's End changes Sansa's life forever...Picset is viewableHERE





	A Life Half-Lived

**Author's Note:**

> Here's another 'rare pair' one shot, and the kick off of a new series of one shots. I am adding these two to my ship, for reasons. I started writing this after lunch today and I have never had a fic flow so fast, I can't believe it is so long! Well, its 3am now, yikes....fml
> 
> Thank you to tommyginger, ologyff and ineedminions for listening to me gush about Davos (Liam Cunningham) and dealing with my insanity. 
> 
> For the 100th time I don't consider myself a writer. This is unbeta'd so I apologize for any errors.  
Thank you for reading!

“Stark! My office, now!” she jumped so abruptly at her boss’ harsh words that she spilled her coffee on her lap, scalding her leg through the dress slacks and staining her ivory blouse. 

“Mother fuck” she hissed, carefully dabbing up the mess. 

“Stark!”

“On my way” she called back, grabbing her thankfully dry notebook and making her way into the boss’ office.

She had worked for Lannister Design for nearly two years, finding them by chance after she had graduated from University and spent a short time working at the King’s Museum. She had gone to college for Art History and Design, loving the way art transformed throughout history. Vainly, she had hoped that perhaps one day her photographs would transform something too. But there was no money in art photography, not unless you knew someone and when she spotted the Lannister name, she had applied with the hopes that this could be her chance. 

It was not. She learned that quickly, the harsh reality of it crashing down on her the second month of her employment as she made yet another latte for Jaime Lannister, CEO-in-training, because he didn’t like the way she made the first two. 

But, she sighed to herself as she knocked on his office door, the money and benefits were good, and in an expensive city like King’s Landing, that went a long way. 

“What took you so long?” he turned from the window and his emerald eyes zeroed in on the stain on her shirt and pants. “You’re a mess.”

“Sorry, sir,” she replied. “I had a bit of an accident.”

“I’ll say” he gave a charming smile, one that hid how sharp his mind and tongue truly were. “Nevermind the stain,” he pulled a stack of files from his briefcase and tossed them onto the desk in front of her. “I need you to go to The Cape, at Storm’s End.”

“W-what?” she stammered, moving forward to pick up the file. 

“A prospective client there is being fussy about paperwork” Jaime explained. “I need you to take him the contracts and get him to sign them.”

“Mr. Lannister, I am a secretary, not a---”

“You’re _my_ secretary and you do what I tell you” he interrupted, rounding the desk to loom over her personal space, a habit she suspected he picked up from his father. 

Once, she would have loved to be this close to a man this handsome, but she had learned more than she ever wanted to about Jaime Lannister, and now she felt only indifference. Barely professional indifference. 

“I expect you to be professional, you’re a representative of L.D. and should look as such” he glared to the neck of her blouse and then at the stain. “Clean yourself up a bit.”

“Yes, sir.”

“In the folder is also a company credit card, you can charge any hotel room and travel expenses to it, but keep the receipts,” he moved back and she felt as if she could breathe again. 

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, you leave tonight and I will give you a week.”

“A week?” she paled. 

“He is very...fussy.”

“Of course” she frowned, looking to the papers in her arms. 

“And Stark?” he looked up as he moved behind his desk. “Don’t ask questions. Get the signatures and get out.”

“Yes, sir,” she nodded and ducked out of his office, her mind racing at the new task at hand. 

She had never been to Storm’s End before, though she had always wanted to go. The Cape was mostly a fishing community, with sprawling ocean views and lush forest. She itched to explore the unknown world around the Bay, to photograph it in the hopes that she could capture its beauty. 

Growing up in the North, she had always had a passion for nature and the outdoors. While she wasn’t an avid backpacker and camper like several of her siblings, she did enjoy day hiking and exploring the world around her. 

It was, she believed, where her passion for photography started. Being able to take back rare views and spectacular scenery with her, to have a reminder at her fingertips that there was more than urban decay and traffic in the world. 

Grabbing her purse and discarding her now empty paper coffee cup, she figured that leaving the office a little early would be acceptable, with the excuse of getting her trip in order. Today was Wednesday, so she had until next Wednesday to get Jaime the paperwork. 

Smiling as she called for the elevator, she decided that it wouldn't be too hard to have a few papers signed, so she would handle the client and then take the chance to explore Storm’s End for a day or so before returning. 

Yes, she smiled widely, stepping into the elevator car. Today started out fairly shitty, but it just took a turn for the better. Much better. 

Sansa had both of the windows on her ancient pickup truck down, the wind blowing through her hair and Lady’s head sticking out the passenger window, both of them enjoying the freedom of the forest air. 

Living in the city, she didn’t often drive, so she kept the ancient single cab truck of her youth, finding it cheaper to keep than to replace, and with it she could cart Lady around on the wide bench seat without issue. 

Lady was a huge dog, a husky-wolf cross, or something to that effect. Sansa had found her through a local animal rescue several years ago. Sansa had gone to see if there were any cats available for adoption, but from the first moment that she and Lady had locked eyes, she was lost. 

Lady followed her around from the first instant, taking a shine to Sansa with more affection than the rescue had seen from the wolf-dog, and Sansa couldn’t refuse Lady’s soulful gaze. It was trickier, owning a dog than a cat, but Sansa adjusted her schedule, running with Lady in the mornings before work and speeding home on lunch to walk her in the afternoons. 

It was worth it, however, to have a companion just as wild at heart as she was. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Sansa smiled briefly at her furry passenger before refocusing on the road. 

They were just outside of Storm’s End now and the forest was thick and foggy around them. It felt so nice to be out of the city, she was glad she had rushed through errands yesterday and hit the road bright and early on this Thursday morning. 

On the floorboard and on the seat between them, was Sansa’s duffle bag of clothing and her camera, an abundance of film just waiting to be shot. She had dressed professionally, in dark slacks and a cashmere sweater for the road, planning on heading straight to Storm’s End Classics to talk with Mr. Davos Seaworth. 

Once the paperwork was signed, she was going to find a hotel, change and hit the forest. 

Provided, she frowned up at the grey skies and thick clouds over Storm’s End, that the weather held out. 

A few minutes later she was pulling onto Main Street, the quaint town decorated for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, making her cheeks ache from smiling. This town had soul, she sighed, substance and she felt rejuvenated already. 

When her printed directions didn't quite make sense, she pulled into an open space in front of ‘Storm’s End Antiques’, hoping she would be able to ask for directions. 

“Be good, I will be back” she told Lady, leaving the giant dog in the cab of the truck as she went inside. “Hello” she smiled and the tall---very tall, dour man behind the counter turned to face her, sliding his reading glasses down his nose. He reminded her of a disappointed school principal, with his receding hairline and sharp features.

Suddenly she felt sixteen again and she hated it.

“May I help you?” he asked. 

“Yes, I am looking for Storm’s End Classics” she saw the man’s expression harden. “Mr. Seaworth specifically and I---”

“I am afraid I can’t help you” he cut her off. 

“What?” she gaped. “Sir, I just need to speak with him, it’s important.” The door’s bell jangled but she didn’t turn to face the newcomer, instead kept the hard blue eyes of the shopkeeper. “If you could point me in the direction of Mr. Seaworth, I will be out of your hair.” 

“What do you want with Mr. Seaworth?” a deep, rumbling brogue came from behind her and she turned to see the newcomer standing in the doorway.

He was tall, perhaps a little taller than herself and built with strength in mind. From his broad shoulders to powerful stance, this man took no prisoners. While his hair was covered by a thick blue knit cap, she suspected it was the same color as his well-kept silver and grey beard. His eyes, a deep stormy grey, were hidden behind black wire-framed glasses that made him look like the most sinfully attractive fisherman she had ever seen. 

“It is a professional matter, between my company and Mr. Seaworth” she told the man, hating how breathless she sounded. 

_ “I knew it, you like older men”_ the voice of Margaery, her University roommate echoed in her mind. _ “Is it a Daddy thing or you just prefer them mature?”_ Sansa felt her cheeks heat at the memory, knowing that, while it wasn’t a Daddy thing, she did prefer older men who had gotten the folly of youth out of their system and turned into responsible, respectable human beings. 

“Seaworth has no business with any city folk” the man gruffly replied, glancing to the shopkeeper before turning back to her. “Who are you?”

“My name is Sansa” she explained. “I am from King’s Landing---”

“King’s Landing?” the man laughed, shaking his head. “Let me guess, Jaime Lannister sent you.”

She frowned, looking over his deep blue toggle coat and jeans, “Are you Mr. Seaworth?”

“Aye, I am” he nodded. “And I have no business with Lannister Digital, or any Lannister for that matter.”

“Damned Lannisters” the shopkeeper cursed behind her and she frowned. 

“I don’t understand” she sighed. “I have the contracts and---”

“Hang the contracts” Mr. Seaworth cut her off. “My answer is, and always will be, no.” As if on command, the skies opened up, rain pouring down now in an absolute deluge. “You’d do best to get out of Storm’s End before the road floods.” 

“I can’t go back, not without your signature” she reasoned. “Mr. Lannister said---”

“Mr. Lannister is a liar, lass” his brogue chuckled. “You need to learn that now, before it's too late and you’re trapped.”

She sighed, “I am already trapped,” she said to herself, running a hand through her tangled hair. The shopkeeper scoffed loudly, moving beside her and it broke her trance, “I am sorry to waste your time, sirs” she gave them a quick nod and retreated from the shop, running through the lane and to her pickup where Lady waited. 

Scratching the dog behind the ears, she coaxed the truck to life and allowed the heater to soak into her chilled body while she searched the Storm’s End guide book for an inn or hotel. 

“Storm’s End Motel” Sansa smiled over at Lady, doing her best to remain positive. “Shall we?”

Lady looked at her with her expressive blue eyes as if to say ‘Duh’, and with a smile she pulled away from the curb. 

She would try again with Mr. Seaworth tomorrow, but for now, she needed to find a place to stay for the next few days. 

“She is certainly prettier than the last lawyer they sent” Stannis chuckled as the beautiful redhead ran to the ancient pickup truck.

“No” Davos shook his head. “She isn’t a lawyer, her eyes are too warm for that.”

“Noticed her eyes, did you?” Stannis smirked. 

“And her truck and dog, they don’t say city slicker” Davos raised the paper bag he was carrying, setting it down on the counter before removing his knit cap. “She is likely some unsuspecting paralegal, poor thing. Too young for the cutthroat world of the Lannisters.”

“She is young, but not that young” Stannis chimed in, helping to unpack their lunch. As was tradition, every Thursday since the war had ended, they shared lunch together. 

Stannis Baratheon had been Davos’ commanding officer and best friend from the time that Davos enlisted in the Navy. Both men were stubborn, proud and damned good on the open sea. They had both married and fathered children around the same time, their families blending into a happy unit. 

When Marya passed away, Davos was left with Steffon and Maric, and when Selyse left a few short years later, leaving Stannis with Shireen, they were both overwhelmed single fathers. Somehow, they made it work, and their friendship was more of a brotherhood these days. 

Davos, now forty-nine, was a few years older than Stannis’ forty-five, but they were still working just as hard as ever. While Stannis’ passion was for antique art and furniture, Davos loved sailing more than anything. Enough to make a career out of it, creating Storm’s End Classics, a handbuilt wooden boat company from the ground up. 

He spent his days working with his hands, building stunning wooden boats and restoring antiques from the ground up. It had put him on the map, so to speak, when the Prince of Dorne had bought one of his creations and was often found cruising the sea with any number of beautiful women. After that, orders had sky-rocketed and his business grew exponentially. 

Of course, at the same time, rats had crawled out of the woodwork. 

Several years back, Lannister Design decided that they wanted a chunk of the wooden boat market, but they did so by stealing Davos’ unique designs and trim techniques, an action that had landed them in a messy lawsuit where Davos walked away with a more than substantial sum of money from the Lannister business. 

From that day on, Jaime Lannister had been determined to take control of Storm’s End Classics and possession of the patented designs that had stemmed from Davos’ own mind. 

Davos would never sell, especially not to them. He had worked too hard for too long to make Storm’s End Classics a success. It was enough to keep food on his table and his boys in University, that was all he cared about. He didn’t need the Lannister’s tainted millions or to trade on his integrity. 

It was a shame, he sighed, unwrapping his sandwich, that Lannister was now sending young girls to deal with his dirty work. 

Still, Davos looked up as she pulled her truck away from the curb, she was incredibly beautiful. The fiery red of her hair and the vibrant blue of her eyes was a striking combination to her porcelain skin and he couldn’t help but admire her beauty. 

She had to be beautiful, if Stannis noticed her. Gods, the man had the emotional and sexual spectrum of a golem. 

“So” Stannis smirked over at him. 

“So?”

“You know she isn’t going to get a hotel room” Stannis replied. “Not with the flood, and not with that wolf she had in the passenger seat.” 

Davos cursed, “Spit it out, Baratheon.”

“She may need a place to sleep, that’s all. Nothing sordid” Stannis took a bite of his sandwich, chewing and swallowing with feigned innocence. “I still have Shireen at the house. But you, you’ve got all that space---”

“You’re impossible” Davos laughed, shaking his head. 

“I saw the way she looked at you” Stannis stated. 

“When did you become such a dirty old man?” Davos asked and at Stannis’ stricken expression he laughed loudly. 

They lapsed into their usual conversation and when they finished, the rain was still pouring beyond the windows. 

“Davos” Stannis said as he took care of their lunch garbage. “Think about her. You’re an honorable man in a world full of dishonorable ones.”

“Don’t go blowing smoke up my ass, Baratheon” Davos chuckled, pulling his knit cap back on and ducking out into the rain with a smile. Pulling the hood of his toggle coat over his head, he made his way back down main street. The walk to his shop-slash-home wasn’t too far, and he preferred the walk to driving anyway. 

As he turned the corner to make his way toward the woods, he spotted a familiar, ancient grey pickup on the side of the road, both driver and dog looking forlorn. 

Grimacing as Stannis’ words echoed in his head, Davos made his way to the truck, noticing the missing paint and cracked taillight as he approached the driver’s window and knocked quickly. 

The knock pulled Sansa from her wallowing, sniffing back threatening tears she turned to see Mr. Seaworth at the window. 

Rolling the window crank down she cleared her throat, “Hello…”

“Motel doesn’t take dogs, then?” he said gruffly. 

“No” Sansa sighed. “And it's full anyway. The spillway has flooded the highway, I guess.” 

“Figured as much” he nodded, glancing to her soaked hair. She had stood in the rain outside the motel office for several minutes before Lady’s bark had her running for the truck. “Slide over” he opened the driver’s door and climbed in, all but forcing her to shift her gear and Lady over on the bench seat until she was sitting, thigh-to-thigh with Davos Seaworth in the small cab of her truck. 

“Mr. Seaworth---”

“Davos” he correct. “I was never much for titles.”

“Alright, Davos then” she reasoned. “What are you doing?” 

“I have a large house and plenty of space,” he told her, starting her truck and shifting it into gear. “I may not care much for your bosses, but I am not a cruel bastard. You’ll catch a death of cold in this weather with soaked hair.” 

She was speechless as he guided her truck onto the road, his body warm beside her, chasing away the chill of the rain. Just when she had no idea _what_ she was going to do, he arrived like some damned Knight to rescue her. 

Sitting this close to him, she could see the black and brown in his beard, see the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and see just the hint of a scar near the collar of his shirt beneath his coat. He smelled of pine and evergreen, the scent of home that made her smile. He was in his late forties, perhaps, but still a very attractive man. She was not accustomed to kindness, not aftering living in King’s Landing for so long, and this man had no reason to be kind to her. 

“You can call me Sansa” she said weakly. 

“Sansa” he nodded, turning onto a gravel driveway that led deeper into the woods. 

“Are you going to kill me?” she laughed nervously. 

“If I was, I’d have just left you to die of fever on the roadside” he gave a crooked smile and hoarse laugh. 

“I am not used to kindness,” she admitted softly. 

“City folk never are” he navigated down the driveway through the forest until the trees parted to reveal a large log home and metal workshop that sat along the water. 

“Oh,” she gasped, looking at the homestead before her. 

“Like I said, I have the space” he parked beside an older SUV and shut the engine off. “What needs to come in and what should stay?” he asked, glancing to her bags. 

“My camera can stay---”

“Camera” he frowned deeply. 

“I am a photographer---no, that’s not true. I _want_ to be a photographer. I was planning to take some photographs while I was in Storm’s End. I have always wanted to visit, you see, and I thought this might be a good opportunity” she explained. 

“Photography.” 

“Film” she grabbed her camera bag and opened it to show the very old metal camera and the spare lenses. “I am not a corporate spy...I promise” she read his mind. 

“Alright” he nodded. “Just being cautious, I suppose.”

“I don't even have a smartphone” she laughed, pulling the old flip phone from her pocket. “I kept breaking them and I gave up. This one can survive anything.”

At that he laughed, his stormy-grey eyes shining with mirth, “Understandable. Come, grab your dog, I will grab your duffle bag.”

She nodded, helping Lady from the passenger side of the truck before slinging her purse over her shoulder. Leaving the camera bag on the passenger floorboard, she closed the door and smiled as Lady ran through the trees, barking in delight. 

Sansa followed Davos up the steps of the front porch and out of the rain, noticing that he didn’t keep his door locked as he guided her inside. 

The log home was spacious, but cozy, decorated warmly and centering around the great fireplace in the living room. Lady followed her inside and stuck close to her legs, both of them overwhelmed by the home.

“Oh, wow,” Sansa gasped, moving to the large floor the ceiling windows along the back patio-slash-balcony, marvelling at the sight of the bay beyond. “What a beautiful view.” 

“I am rather partial to it,” he admitted, pulling his knit cap from his head and tucking it into the pocket of his coat before he discarded the jacket altogether. She had been right, his hair was silver and white and his frame strong beneath the navy blue sweater he now wore. “I suspect you need to warm up,” he said, re-taking her duffle bag. “I will show you to the spare room and you can clean up.”

“Thank you” she said following him up a short staircase and down the hall. The guest room was spared, but clean, with an attached bathroom and enough space on the window seat for Lady to make herself comfortable. 

“It used to be my son’s room, but now that he is off living in the Riverlands, I cleaned it up” Davos explained, setting her bag on the bed. 

“Is he your only child?” Sansa asked. 

“I have two sons, Steffon and Maric. They are both in college now” Davos replied. “My wife passed away before we were blessed with any daughters.” 

“I am sorry for you loss” Sansa said softly. 

“Thank you, but it was many years ago” he nodded. “Once you clean up, you can join me in the living area and we can sort out this Lannister nonsense.”

“I am guessing there is more to the story than Mr. Lannister let on” she frowned. “Probably why he told me not to ask questions.” 

“Indeed” Davos agreed, moving to the doorway. “I will see you shortly.”

“Thank you” she said as he closed the door. With a sigh, Sansa grabbed her toileties from the bag and, sparing a glance for lady who was stretched out on the rug near the large window, set about cleaning herself up 

Davos worked in the kitchen, getting a pot of coffee brewing in the hopes of warming her up once she came downstairs. He looked out over the bay, the rain still pouring down as the waves crashed across the black sandy beach. 

He would call Stannis later, thanking his oldest friend for the houseguest that now occupied Steffon’s room above stairs. Stannis would surely get a kick out of Davos’ caving and taking her home. Like some sort of beautiful stray. 

Bloody impulsive, he chuckled, turning to see the large wolf-dog enter the kitchen a few seconds before a completely transformed woman followed. 

Gone were the black slacks and sweater of the morning, instead she wore faded, snug jeans and a white t-shirt with flannel plaid shirt pulled over her shoulders. Her hair was now curly to her waist, still damp from her shower. She had even scrubbed away her makeup, revealing a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. 

Gods, he cursed Stannis a thousand times in his mind. She was far too beautiful to be here with him. She was…

“How old are you?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. “Shit---”

Sansa’s laugh echoed in the great room, her eyes bright with amusement, “I will be 30 soon, you don’t have to worry.” 

“I am sorry, that was rude--”

“My sister always said that I looked far younger than I am” Sansa shook her head. “Don’t even worry about it.”

“I would not have expected you to be near 30,” he admitted, running a hand over his beard. “How long have you worked for the Lannisters?”

“Two years” she crossed to the kitchen, sitting on a counter bar stool to face him. “I worked for the King’s Museum for a while, but the pay was crap and the city is very expensive.” 

“It is, I don’t miss the city” he agreed. 

“I thought I would be able to break into design and photography by working for the Lannisters” she frowned. “But instead, I fetch latte’s and get sent hours away on fool’s errands.” 

“I am surprised you drove down here, rather than fly” he paused, looking to where Lady was sitting beside her bar stool, watching him intently. “Because of her, then?”

“Lady, yes” Sansa pat the wolf’s head. “She is just as wild at heart as I am. I figured that if Mr. Lannister gave me a week to get the papers signed, we would have time to explore.” 

“And he didn’t tell you a thing about the papers?” he asked. 

“No, they’re sealed and he told me not to ask questions,” she explained. “Something sinister, I suppose? He seems the type for it.” 

“Two years ago, he stole one of my patents and we had a messy bit of litigation where they had to pay me quite a bit of money” Davos turned to the coffee pot, grabbing the carafe and pouring into large mugs. “Cream? Sugar?”

“Neither, thank you” she smiled and he handed her mug, their fingers brushing as she took it from him. Her skin was soft, far softer than his own workman’s hands, and warmer than expected. “So, the Lannisters, they’re trying a hostile takeover now?” she asked, sipping her coffee. 

“They have already sent several lawyers and agents” Davos replied. “I suspect that they hoped your innocence would do the job where the rest had failed.”

Sansa sighed, setting her mug on the counter and holding it with both hands, “I am sorry. I didn’t know.” 

“I know” he assured her. “You’re far too nice to be working with the Lannisters” he paused. “And your truck far too old.”

“Hey!” she protested. “I have had that truck since high school, I don’t need anything fancy and now with Lady I am glad to be able to travel with her.” 

“I am not picking on your truck, simply stating, it gives you away,” he said. 

“Gives me away as what?” she countered. 

“A normal, down to earth human” he smirked. 

Sansa laughed again, “I am a Northern girl at heart, just one too proud to run home to her family when her dream job doesn’t work out.”

Judging by the expression on her face, she hadn’t spoken that aloud before and he found he rather liked her candid nature. She was honest, open and intelligent, this much he could tell already. A bit naive perhaps, to trust the Lannisters, but she was quick to understand that they were far more sinister than they came across. 

“Well” he cleared his throat and took a drink of his coffee. “As one who works every day at his _dream job_, since you have a week, let’s see what we can do about yours.”

“What?” she went still, looking at him. 

“I am not going to sign the papers, Sansa” he said. “But you have a week before they have to know that. Storm’s End is beautiful, especially for the photography minded. I will show you around.”

“You’d...you’d do that?” she asked. 

“I was in the Navy for many years in my youth and a commanding officer once took a chance on me” he told her. “Today, he encouraged me to take a chance on you.”

“He” she frowned. “The shopkeeper?” 

“My oldest and closest friend, Stannis Baratheon,” he explained. “So, I will follow his advice and take a chance. Working every day for people you don’t like is living a half-life, Sansa. You stifle yourself to please others, and that is no way to live.”

She paused, looking at her cup thoughtfully for several seconds before she spoke, “I have known you less than an hour, Davos, but I think you already know me better than anyone in my life.” 

He could only smile at her candid confession. 

“I have a bit of work to do, so---”

“Wait” Sansa called as he turned to set his mug in the sink. “I don’t even know what you do,” she laughed. “Something with boats, I think, but I have no idea.”

“Then allow me to give you a tour” he said. 

“May I?” she lifted her cup. 

“Of course, the workshop is a close walk” he lead her to the balcony doors and she was grateful for the sturdy boots she had packed for her town time as she followed Davos across the deck and down the stairs through the rain to the adjacent metal workshop. 

Lady followed, rushing ahead into the yard as if she owned it, sniffing around a bit and exploring the stacks of lumber.

Sansa could see, along the water as they ducked inside, that the shop actually extended out over the bay, allowing him to bring boats in through the water channel. There were a few boats waiting along the wooden dock, old and new alike. 

His home and the surrounding land was beautiful, an escape from the world but fully modern.

“I never cared for fiberglass watercraft” he motioned to the newer looking boat. “Metal or wood, those are the best materials for any boat, but my sons encouraged me to get with the times when they decided they wanted to learn to water ski.”

“I see” she laughed softly, watching as he keyed a code and opened the shop door. “Oh, wow” she felt her eyes go wide as she followed him into the workshop. It was filled, but organized, packed with machinery, lumber and several boats on racks and stands. 

“I am a shipwright. In its simplest explanation, I build and restore old boats to their former glory” Davos’ brogue was laced with pride as he reached out to touch a stunning mahogany boat near the launch bay to the water. “This one is from 1928” he smirked. “Even older than I am.”

Sansa couldn’t help but laugh, “Its beautiful, and age is just a number,” she reasoned. 

“You’re young yet” he assured her. 

“You can’t be older than 45 or 50” she stated. “You’re not old.”

“I will be 50 later this year” he chuckled. 

“You’re young yet” she echoed his words as she walked around the boat. “It’s stunning.”

“My wife used to say I had saltwater in my veins, the ocean has always been a part of me,” he explained. “I grew up, poorer than poor, in Flea Bottom.”

“Oh, King’s Landing” Sansa smiled. 

“I got out of there as soon as I was old enough to enlist” Davos nodded. “Caused a bit of hell, enough to get Stannis’ attention and he took a chance and put me to work. Being on the open water, hells, being beside it is what I have always wanted. Storm’s End is where Stannis’ family comes from and when it came time to raise our own families, we knew of no better place.” 

“Storm’s End, what I have seen of it so far, is beautiful” Sansa agreed. 

“It is” Davos nodded, crossing to his work bench and unrolling several blueprints to show her. “This is what that frame will be in a few weeks” she moved to his side, smoothing her hand over the curled edge of the plans. 

“That?” she looked to a pile of curved wood that oddly resembled a rib cage to her untrained eye. 

“Aye” he chuckled. 

“You’re an artist then” she decided, her respect for this man growing exponentially the more she spoke with him. 

“Of sorts, I suppose” he agreed. “There is a certain nostalgia to it all, never forgetting where we came from and appreciating the work needed for each piece.” 

“Perhaps” Sansa said quietly. “Before I leave, you would allow me to photograph you while you work. Capturing the evolution of something from nothing is truly capturing art.” 

“I believe I can trust you, Sansa” he said softly. “After all, you left the contracts on the floor of your truck.” 

“I did” she nodded. “I think I have known this was coming, a crossroads or breaking point. Where my path diverted from Lannister Design. I just didn’t realize it would be in Storm’s End.” 

“It's the magic of the great castle along our shores” Davos’ eyes were lit with amusement. “No shadows can pass upon the lands of Storm’s End.”

“How wonderfully superstitious of you” she turned to watch as Lady stretched and curled up beside an old pot belly stove in the corner, one that must still be emanating heat. 

“Smart” Davos chuckled. 

“I will grab my camera, if that is alright” she asked and he nodded. Sansa set her coffee on the workbench and turned away, surprised when Lady didn’t move to follow her. She gave a small laugh, her wolf already at home here amongst the forest of Storm’s End Classics. 

She dashed to her truck, grabbing the camera bag and leaving the contracts on the floor mat before closing the door and returning to the workshop. Davos was already at work, sitting underneath a boat on one of the racks, sanding and cutting away. She realized, upon re-entering his work space that the scent of the forest that clung to him also hung in the air, the lumber marking him as a man of the earth. 

Beside where Lady lay, there was an old wingback chair, and while it wasn’t the cleanest or newest, she didn’t mind. Setting her back on the cushion, she grabbed her camera and loaded a roll of black and white film, smiling as she closed the camera’s back and wound the first bit of film.

Digital photography was lovely, but there was something about film that she adored. As Davos had said, ‘a certain nostalgia to it all’. Leaving her bag on the floor beneath the chair, she snapped a few photos of the sinister looking saws and decrepit boats before moving to the man himself. 

There was no mistaking it, Davos was a ruggedly handsome man. Like the oceanic warriors of old, complete with the silver beard and fierce look of concentration while he worked. His hands were rough, but strong as they deftly worked a board free from the bottom of the boat.

she took a few photos, nearly filling the roll before she tucked her camera away. 

“More coffee?” she asked, lifting her cup. 

“Sure, thank you” he said from under the ship. 

She glanced to the still-sleeping Lady and ducked back inside, refilling her coffee up and his from the carafe before returning. She set his cup on the toolbox beside him and he gave her a smile of thanks. 

Rather than return inside, she crossed to the pot belly stove, carefully opening it to add a few scrap pieces to the coals and sat on the cushioned chair. Grabbing the thick jacket from the chair’s side, she curled up in its warmth while the stove did its work.

It had been a long time since she had sat beside water, the lapping waves and sound of the rain on the metal roof lulling her into peace she hadn’t experienced in years. She sipped her coffee and when it was gone, set the mug aside, closing her eyes to relax. 

Her last thought, before she slipped into slumber, was that she didn’t want to return to King’s Landing. In a week or in a month, she didn’t want to go back to the sweltering filth.

Davos worked for several hours, smiling as he drank the last of his now-cold coffee that Sansa had brought him. It was a surprisingly domestic gesture he had not experienced in over a decade. 

Standing, he stretched his back and shoulders, turning to see both Lady and Sansa asleep beside the pot belly stove in the corner of the shop. Sansa was curled up beneath his jacket, fast asleep, her face turned toward the warmth of the metal stove. 

It was too cold to leave her, and he wasn’t entirely sure he could carry her through the rain without injuring them both, so he crouched beside the chair and gently shook her arm. 

“Sansa” he whispered. 

“Hmm?” she sighed and her eyes blinked open, settling on him with a soft smile. Gods, he sighed to himself, she was stunning. “I fell asleep,” she chuckled, smoothing her hair from her face. As it had dried, it had curled into thick ringlets that fell around her shoulders like liquid fire. 

“You did” he agreed. “Are you hungry?”

She nodded, “I didn’t eat today” she chuckled. “I forgot.” 

“Well, then I suspect you’re very hungry” he nodded, rising to his full height. “Come, I can cook you something.”

“I can help” she moved his jacket aside, her wolf standing as she did. “I am quite good in the kitchen.” 

“Good” he chuckled. “Because I am terrible.” 

“Then I will cook” she reasoned. “You can stay and work or--”

“I will join you,” he said, finding that he wanted to stay in her company. 

“Alright” she smiled. 

In the warmth of the log home, they cooked a surprisingly delicious meal, Lady doing her best to beg for scraps while they worked.

As they sat down and started eating, the front door opened and a deep voice called out. 

“Davos, are you here?” 

“Kitchen!” Davos replied and a few seconds later Stannis appeared, his entire body freezing as he looked at Sansa, looking much different than she had that morning, sitting at the table beside Davos. Davos now realized that he had forgotten to call Stannis earlier. 

“Well now” Stannis noted. “I apologize for the interruption.”

“None at all” Davos assured him. 

“Are you hungry?” Sansa asked, standing smoothly and crossing the kitchen as if she had lived here for years. She plated more food and poured a glass of lemonade, carrying them to a spare spot at the table. 

“Thank you,” Stannis said as he sat, his eyes giving a knowing stare to Davos and he knew that they were in for a long talk later. Stannis took a few bites of dinner and paused, “Davos when did you learn to cook?”

“I didn’t” he chuckled. “Sansa did.”

Stannis hid his surprise well, his emotions and reactions always 100% controlled. “It is delicious.” 

“I am glad” she smiled, all of them tucking into their dinner. Lady stuck close to Davos’ side, partly because he was sneaking her bits from the table, a fact that made Sansa laugh each time he did it. 

“What was the news that brought you here in an alfire hurry?” Davos prompted his old friend after several minutes of silence. 

“I will be headed up the coast for the day, the day after tomorrow, to deal with an estate sale” Stannis produced a packet of papers. “There is quite an array of art there.”

“Art?” Sansa asked. 

“Old art, nothing too modern” Stannis explained, flipping through the papers to a printout. “This one, I believe it is a Degas.”

“May I?” she asked, reaching for the papers. 

“Of course” he turned the paperwork to face her and she smiled. 

“It is a Cassatt” Sansa said, her voice timid but firm. “One of the forgotten impressionists. Though there is a suggestion of an imagined tendre between Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt, a sort of impressionists with benefits. Though it is likely fiction. The painting would be no less valuable.”

“You are a fan of art?” Stannis asked, lowering his fork to his plate and Davos looked to Sansa in surprise. It seemed she had done the impossible, surprising the great Stannis Baratheon. 

“I majored in art history at University” she admitted. “I have always found art to be such a pure form of expression and emotion. Impressionism isn’t my favorite, but that painting there is a Cassatt, close in style to Degas, but she is quite unique.” 

“Indeed” Stannis picked up his fork. “You cook and you know art, is there anything else you are going to surprise us with?” 

“Well, I certainly can’t juggle” she quipped and Davos couldn’t help but laugh, sneaking a small piece of meat from the pasta sauce to Lady. “You’re spoiling her” Sansa chided, looking to where Lady’s head was resting on his thigh. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” Davos feigned innocence, patting the wolf’s head. 

“Oh, of course” Sansa returned to her dinner, both of them ignoring the sharp gaze of Stannis from across the table.

Once dinner was finished and the dishes sorted, Sansa excused herself to her room, Lady following her up the short stairs and into the bedroom. Davos did his best to look busy with the last of the dishes, but Stannis’ tall, lean form leaned beside him against the counter. 

“So, you took her in” Stannis smirked. 

“I did” Davos agreed. 

“She is quite intelligent, surprising for a Lannister lackey” Stannis said and Davos felt his hackles bristle. 

“She is more than that” Davos defended. 

“Good Gods, Davos” Stannis raised his hands in supplication. “I meant no offense.”

Davos groaned, removing his glasses to rub his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose, “No, I am sorry...that was…”

“Indeed it was” Stannis said. “I came by to ask if you could watch Shireen after her tutoring if the estate sale went long on Saturday, but if---”

“No, I can get her” Davos assured his friend. 

“It shouldn’t be too late” Stannis replied, checking his watch. “Speaking of, I should head over to her friend's house to pick her up.” 

Davos nodded, walking his oldest friend to the door. He was surprised when Stannis turned back, his expression suddenly quite serious.

“Be careful” Stannis said. 

“Always.”

“No, I mean…”Stannis clenched his jaw. “She is beautiful, and beautiful women are often trouble.” 

“I will be careful” Davos said quietly.

“Until tomorrow then” Stannis gave a nod, returning to his SUV as Davos closed the door behind him. 

Davos locked the front door, his eyes turning to the jacket hanging on the rack beside his. It had been a great many years since he had shared a house with a woman, and never with a woman 20 years his junior. 

Marya had been two years younger than himself, a strong and steady woman who balanced the turbulent sea in his veins. Now, in his advanced age, he wondered how he and Marya would have suited. Would they both be calm and happy? Or would they be restless? Bored…Their love had been young and he didn’t get to see it evolve as they did. 

But Sansa---

No, he shook his head, turning away from the jackets and making his way to the master bedroom. He couldn’t dwell on such thoughts, not when she would be gone in a week. That would only lead to disappointment, to pain.

And he’d had enough pain to last a lifetime. 

“Watch! Oh my gosh!” Shireen gasped, jumping in place as Lady launched herself off of the dock and grabbed the stick Shireen had thrown into the water, bringing it back with a wagging tail. 

In contrast to the rains of Thursday, today was sunny and bright, the forest of Storm’s End seeming to come to life at the newly arrived warmth. 

Yesterday, Davos and Sansa had both risen early, Davos declaring that a break in the rain meant it was time for Sansa to learn the area. They had walked everywhere, from town to the cliffs and back, Sansa cycling through film as she tried to capture its beauty. 

They shared lunch downtown, the locals were surprised to see Davos with someone unfamiliar. Sansa learned quickly how prevalent Davos was in the world of Storm’s End. Everyone knew his name and he knew everyone’s in turn. 

It had been a relaxing, beautiful day and when she checked her phone to see two missed calls from Jaime Lannister, she shut the ringer off altogether. Freeing herself for the next few days. 

This morning they had met in the kitchen, sharing coffee and a small breakfast before Davos got to work. Hours passed, Sansa wandering the bayshore with her camera and Lady and around lunch time, Davos had to head into town to pick up Stannis’ daughter from her tutoring. 

Shireen was vibrant, if shy, her blue eyes sparkling with intelligence and wit. Sansa had smiled upon meeting the dark-haired girl, one who seemed more enraptured with Lady than anything else, and soon they were fast friends. 

Like her father, Shireen was serious and slow to gather enthusiasm, but now that she had learned Lady could swim, she was having a blast. 

“She is going to sleep well tonight” Davos emerged from his workshop, wiping his hands as he walked down the dock. 

“Shireen or Lady?” Sansa countered, admiring the breadth of his shoulders in the black t-shirt and how his forearms flexed as he cleaned his hands. 

“Both” he laughed, sinking onto the wooden bench beside her. 

“I am afraid Lady will want to stay here with you when I go” Sansa said sadly. 

“We can work out joint custody” he smirked and she laughed, raising her camera to snap a photograph of Shireen and Lady playing in the sand. 

“Sansa, Uncle Davos, watch!” Shireen yelled and when Sansa turned to look, the young girl launched the stick into the calm surf once more. 

Lady didn’t hesitate, running down the dock, passed her and Davos, and jumping into the water to latch onto the stick with vigor before swimming back to shore. 

“I think you have a new best friend” Davos chuckled. 

“Do you think Dad will let me get a wolf?” Shireen beamed. 

“Absolutely not” Davos smirked. “I will carve you one.” 

“Okay” Shireen replied, distracted once more as Lady dropped the stick at her feet and they began once more. 

“Carve?” Sansa asked. 

“Whittling” Davos clarified. “I have made Shireen and the boys a few things over the years--nothing fancy, but they pass muster.”

“You’re truly an artist” Sansa smiled at him. 

“I am a shipwright, nothing fancier” Davos said humbly. 

Sansa nodded, admiring his casual and nonchalant approach to the world. A man who could create and transform as Davos did was far more than a shipwright, but she saw no need to argue semantics with him. 

Instead, she smiled, relaxing beside him as they watched Shireen and Lady play on the shore, the soft sound of the waves crashing on shore dancing on the air around them.

By the time Stannis arrived, harried and clearly stressed out, Shireen and Lady were asleep on the plush rugs and blankets before the fireplace, Sansa and Davos working in the kitchen on dinner. 

Sansa noticed Stannis’ look of concern, cast not only at his daughter and the wolf but at Davos, as well. She did not comment, seeing it only as a look that true friends might grant each other in odd times. 

Instead she focused on finishing dinner and they ate with soft conversation, herself feeling as if she had lived among them her entire lives. 

It was Monday, and while the world was at work, Sansa and Davos were standing on the pier at the edge of downtown, Lady safe at the cabin while Davos showed Sansa the history of Main Street. 

Lady, usually raring to go, was content to relax before the fireplace at the Seaworth home, and if Sansa had to guess, was still tired from her swimming expedition with Shireen on Saturday. 

Her camera hang across her chest as they watched the fishing boats come back into harbor after a long morning at sea. 

“I worked on a fishing boat for a few years” Davos mused. “Hardest work I ever did.” 

“It seems like long days” Sansa watched the horizon. 

“It is, for not a lot of pay,” he said. 

Today, he wore his usual faded jeans and boots, this time with a thick ivory sweater and those black-framed glasses that seemed to haunt her memories. The more she learned about Davos, the more she admired him. The more she cared for him. 

He was a strong, steady and stalwart man, unfailingly kind to those around him and a devoted friend. She had never met a man like him before and she suspected it was because there simply were _no other_ men like him. 

She hadn’t realized it before she left King's Landing, but she had been searching for a man like him. She just hadn’t known it. Fanciful, to be sure, but there was something so magnetic about him that she couldn’t deny it. 

She looked up into his stormy blue eyes and she couldn’t resist any longer. Moving forward she covered her lips with his own, the soft tickle of his beard tickling her as she kissed him. 

As he kissed him. 

_Kissed him._

Her brain sluggishly realized that he had stilled at her touch, not responding or returning her affection. Not in the slightest. 

Frantically she pulled back, swearing as she stepped away.

He looked shell-shocked, eyes watching her with an odd expression that she couldn’t decipher and she kept moving backwards, “I am so sorry” she turned away. “Fuck fuck fuck” she muttered, walking back into town. 

She walked blindly until she reached the ‘Land’s End Pub’, ducking inside and sliding into a corner booth. She threw her purse onto the cushion before slamming her forehead onto the table. 

“You alright, ma’am?” 

“Whisky, neat and something fried, please” she asked without raising her head. 

“Got it” the waitress replied and walked away. 

Sansa kept her head on the table for several minutes as she did her best not to cry. She had made an absolute fool of herself. She was completely humiliated and she had no idea how she was going to face Davos to get her dog and truck back so she could tuck tail and run far away from this town. 

What was she thinking? Kissing him! Why, she groaned, wishing she could sink into the ground. 

It wasn’t until her cell phone rang that she moved, rifling through her purse to grab the flip phone. 

“Stark!” Jaime Lannister barked as soon as she answered. “Why aren’t you replying to my texts?”

“I don’t text” she said dryly. “Sir.”

“How can you not text?” he laughed and she wished she could punch him in his stupid face. “Has he signed the paperwork yet?”

“No” she ran a hand over her face. “And he has no intention to. He has made it abundantly clear what he thinks of you and Lannister Digital ...Sir.”

“Has he?” Jaime’s voice cooled. 

“Oh yeah” she snort-laughed. “I appreciate you sending me into the lap of a man who sued you for theft, that’s _fun_” she glared at the portrait of a group of unknown fishermen on the wall. 

“That was all a misunderstanding” Jaime reasoned. 

“Yeah” she looked up at the waitress as she brought a very large pour of whisky to the table. “So was my employment with you, Mr. Lannister. Good luck with your future endeavors.”

“Stark! Stark!”

She hit the ‘end call’ button and shut off her phone before shoving it back in her purse and resting her head back on the cool table. 

While her hand was wrapped around the whisky glass, she hadn’t actually drank any yet, her humiliation still too strong to lift her head. 

Several minutes passed and then she felt someone slide into the seat across from her. Raising her head she looked into the concerned eyes of Davos Seaworth. 

“I am so sorry” she whispered. 

“There is nothing for you to apologize for, Sansa” he assured her, taking her glass and a small sip of the amber liquid. “I was shocked and froze, I am sorry.” 

“Why are _you_ apologizing?” she sat up straight. “Are you from some planet of ideal fucking men? Where you’re all polite and sexy and fuck---” she lowered her head to the table once more. “Let me die in peace.” 

He chuckled, the deep, throaty sound coursing through her, “You know it's been thirteen years since I have been kissed.”

“What?” she sat back up. “Thirteen?”

He nodded, “I didn’t expect you to kiss me, Sansa, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t want to kiss you.” 

“But you just...stood there.” 

“And I am sorry for that” his cheeks heated slightly and she found it endearing. “I heard what you said to Lannister.”

“Pretty sure I just lost my job” she sipped her drink, grimacing at the bitter taste. 

“It wasn’t a job worth keeping” Davos reasoned. 

“I know.” 

“I am a widower, a father twice over, and my sons are both in college, Sansa” he explained. “You cannot fault me for being surprised when a beautiful young woman kisses me in broad daylight.”

“You can’t have been surprised---”

“But I was” he said as the waitress brought over a basket of mozzarella sticks. 

“Bless you” Sansa looked to the older woman as she retreated. “I guess, it is possible that I felt more---”

“No” Davos cut her off. “Don’t belittle what has been building for the past several days.”

“You feel it” she whispered, her voice soft and small.

“I’d have to be dead not to” Davos smirked. 

“So…the kiss” she prompted. 

“Now that my surprise and foolishness has worn off, I believe you will find it goes quite differently the next time” he promised. 

“Next time?” she grabbed a cheese stick and took a bite. 

“Next time” he grabbed a cheese stick and they shared an unspoken conversation over a glass of whisky and a basket of fried cheese. 

By the time Sansa stood and turned to leave some cash on the table, her hand was trembling. Her nerves, however, ceased when Davos took her hand in his, their fingers twining and the heat of his calloused palm soaking into her skin. 

There was reassurance in his touch, there was an anchor amidst the chaotic tide that called to the wildness in her heart. The urge to run, to sprint for the woods and never return to the world calmed at the embrace of his hand. Instead, she longed to run to him to lose herself in him and never return to the world.

They walked hand-in-hand from the restaurant, uncaring who in the small town saw them as they made their way to the forest trail that lead to his house. 

He paused at the base of the porch steps, beside his old SUV and her ancient truck and guided her into his embrace. There was demand or haste in his touch, but an unhurried devotion that had her sighing as his lips met hers for the second time. 

She could feel his strength, his confidence through their kiss and taste the earthy aroma of the whisky and the spice of marinara on his tongue. But more importantly, she could taste the unique flavor that was Davos and only Davos. 

And it was heavenly. 

Their lips parted with a shorter, soft kiss and she smiled up at him, “Like I said,” his voice was deep, brogue thicker than normal. “Next time.” 

“Davos” she whispered. 

“Hmm?”

“Take me to bed,” she asked. 

He didn’t need to be told twice, taking her hand and leading her into the log home. Lady’s head perked up as they entered, but she returned to sleep as they made their way up the stairs and to the master bedroom. 

The wrought iron bed dominated the space, covered with a sprawling black and white bear’s paw quilt. There was a painting of a naval vessel at sea hanging on the wall and several photos on the dresser, the room feeling distinctly of home. 

She had left her purse inside the front door, so she kicked her shoes off as Davos’ shed his boots. Shedding her sweater, she moved into his embrace, their lips meeting once more. His hands wandered her back, warmth spreading through her from his touch. 

She tugged at his sweater and then was tugging it over his head, tossing it aside. While he wasn’t lean and chiseled, his frame was solid and strong, coating with springy silver hair. His hands carded into her hair, her scalp tingling as they made their way toward the bed, falling across the quilt with a peel of laughter. 

“You’re stunning” Davos whispered, hovering over her on his elbow. 

“I have wanted this--you, from the moment you walked into the antique shop,” she whispered, running her hands through his short hair. 

“I can’t imagine why” Davos replied. “But I will gladly take anything you want to give me.”

She didn’t reply, instead pulling his lips back to hers as her body settled atop her. Her arms went around his broad shoulders as his hands helped to rid her of her t-shirt and jeans, then she worked at his jeans, until they were finally, blessedly, naked. 

Sansa had never been overly confident about her nude body, usually too concerned about being too pale or too slender, but under Davos’ reverent touch she felt like a goddess. The way his fingers ghosted over her flesh sent chills through her and she arched toward him, the warm muscle of his frame settling between her thighs. 

No words were spoken, there were none needed. Her legs wrapped around him as his fingers found her soaked folds, parting her to stroke the sensitive flesh. His tongue deftly parted her lips as he aligned himself with her body and as he mouth devoured her once more, he sank into her. 

She gasped against his mouth, his thick cock stretching her long untried body and she felt him in every inch of her being. 

Davos moved slowly, his hands traveling to hers and raising them over her head until she was pinned to the mattress. She was at his mercy, enjoying every second and every moment of his body within hers. 

His movements were methodical, as they were as he builts hips, taking his time to ensure every effort was not wasted. That each touch was electric and each kiss spoke of unprecedented affection and adoration. 

Sansa held him tightly with her legs as they shared languid, wet kisses until they were both panting for air. 

“Beautiful” his voice was rough with emotion and she mewled at the sound. “Gods, Sansa…”

“Top” she muttered. “On top” she looked to his eyes as he understood her whimpered plea, releasing her hands before he rolled to his back. 

Sansa rose over him, taking him into her body with a shuddering sigh. She rocked, slowly at first, but soon she was moving faster and deeper, her body trembling over his. Davos watched her with unconcealed awe, his grey eyes dark and his hands cupping her breasts, teasing the peaks as she rode him. Like this, she could feel everything acutely, the pleasure sharpening until she was crying his name. 

“Davos” she gasped as she came, her movements slowing as her body fluttered around his and she felt him pulse, following her over the edge. Her body felt like it was floating as she lay across his chest, pleasure thrumming through her as she caught her breath. 

She felt the tickle of his beard, the ghosting of lips across her face as he trailed kisses from her temple to her forehead. She raised her lips to meet his in a gentle, lazy kiss. 

“You are stunning, Sansa Stark” he held her close as she rolled to his side. 

“Mm, you” she replied, her body lethargic as she snuggled against him, warm and content to spend the rest of her days in this moment. 

Davos woke near 8am, much later than his usual time of rising, but a glance to his right reminded him that he had a reason to sleep late today. Sansa was sound asleep beside him, her fiery hair spread across the pillows beside him. 

After they had made love, they slept a while before rising to cook dinner and watch an old black and white movie before returning to bed. 

He was not an overly sentimental man, nor was he cold like Stannis, but he was in awe of her. Of her beauty and passion, of her intelligence and kindness. Sansa was a rare woman and he decided, in the early morning light, that he intended to keep her. 

She had all but quit her job yesterday, now he just needed to encourage her to stay in Storm’s End, to retreat from the city that she loathed so much and spend her days with him. 

It would be tricky to explain to Steffon and Maric, but they would understand. Davos had been a dedicated widower for almost fifteen years, they could not fault him now for finding someone else. 

Someone that he enjoyed spending time with. Enjoyed making love to and enjoyed waking up beside. 

Deciding to let her sleep, he carefully rose and made his way downstairs to make coffee. Lady followed him, running to the woods to do her business when he let her out and then keeping close as he went about his morning routine. 

Once dressed, he ventured to the shop, Lady at his side, relaxing beside the door as he rolled up the side doors to work in the morning sun. He had several large pieces to scarf planks into and he enjoyed working in the fresh air. 

He had been at work for some time when the sound of a motor reached his ears. He looked up in time to see a sleek silver luxury car pull into the drive beside the shop, a tall, golden figure in an expensive suit emerging from the driver’s seat. 

_Jaime Lannister had come to call_ Davos set the saw aside and stood, facing the man he had last seen in court. Lady moved to Davos’ side, growling deeply at the intruder. 

“Seaworth.” 

“Lannister.” 

“I have it on good authority that you refused my offer, once again,” Jaime said, crossing to examine the boat, obviously seeing nothing of interest. 

“Aye, I did” Davos replied. 

“Fifteen million is a large sum” Jaime explained. “Would be very helpful to those sons of yours.”

“We’re doing just fine” Davos stated. 

“I was certain that Miss.Stark would succeed in turning your head” Jaime ran a hand over a rough plan of wood. “Who knew she was in possession of such a strong moral compass.”

“A rare quality these days” Davos countered. 

“Name your price” Jaime said. “Name it, and it’s yours.”

“You can’t put a price on integrity” Davos said. “Nor can you put a price on hard work and sentimental value.” 

“Everyone has a price” Jaime’s eyes moved over Davos’ shoulder, widening slightly before he schooled his features. 

“You’re not welcome here” Sansa’s voice said firmly and Davos turned to see her, clad only in his navy sweater, her hair loose and wild, two cups of coffee in her hands. 

“What the _fuck_,” Jaime gaped. 

Sansa moved to Davos’ side and handed him a fresh cup of coffee, which he took gratefully, admiring the determination in her vibrant blue eyes. 

“You should leave” Sansa stated. 

“Turns out you’re just as loose with your morals as every other girl in the city” Jaime glared. 

“What did you expect, Jaime?” she asked. “That I would beg for your attention?”

“Most do.” 

“That’s not me” she sipped her coffee. “I wouldn’t care to share you with Cersei.” 

Davos had the great pleasure of watching Jaime Lannister pale, his throat struggling to swallow as he stepped back, “W-what?”

“A terrible thing, that” Sansa placed her hand in Davos’. “Sending your errand girl to the ‘enemy’. I know your secrets, your dalliances ...your proclivities.” 

“You have no idea of what you speak about” Jaime warned. 

“No, I do” she nodded. “So consider this my resignation and a warning. Leave now and never come back. Storm’s End Classics isn’t yours, it will never be yours. If you come back or contact Davos in anyway---”

“Listen you---”

“Then your scorned security guards will ruin you” Sansa continued. “You may not have appreciated my hard work, but others at LD did. So, Jaime” she sipped her coffee. “Drive safe.” 

Davos gave her hand an encouraging squeeze as the Young Lion stepped back, choking on his words before he turned and storme to his car, tearing out of the driveway as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. 

“That was incredible” Davos turned to face her, savouring the sight of her porcelain legs, bare beneath his baggy sweater. 

“So” she frowned. “There goes my career” she laughed sardonically. 

“A life half-lived” he whispered, kissing her softly, her lips warm against his own in the chill of the morning. 

“What am I going to do now?” she asked softly. 

“Stay” he asked, the word holding more meaning than any he had spoken in his life. 

“Stay?”

“With me” he asked. 

“You’ve known me a sennight” she reasoned. 

“And yet we know each other better than any in our lives” he replied. “Stay with me, or at least stay in Storm’s End. I do not want to lose you---”

“I’ll stay” she kissed him softly. “I’ll stay. I think I was always meant to be here anyway.” 

“I think so, too” he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly, promising her with his kiss a life of deep, abiding love and affection. 

Sansa woke to a quiet house, an unusually quiet house but when she rolled over she saw the bed beside her was empty and that meant that her husband was taking care of the morning duties. 

She smiled, relaxing against her pillow, the world beyond the window snow-covered and frozen. It was Christmas, she smiled, she loved Christmas. But she most especially loved Christmas with Davos and their family. 

She had married Davos Seaworth nearly two years ago now, only his sons, Stannis, Shireen and her family in attendance as they exchanged vows on the dock at their home. Neither of them were opulent, gaudy people and they would rather celebrate with their loved ones than spend thousands to prove to the world that they loved each other. 

She became Mrs. Davos Seaworth and a stepmother in the same day, both Steffon and Maric standing at their father’s side during the ceremony. She remembered the day that she and Davos had broken the news to the boys--or rather, the day the boys found out. 

_ “Holy shit” Sansa heard the unfamiliar voice and opened her eyes to see two boys standing on the balcony watching her. The boys were unmistakably Seaworth, both the image of their father, with deep brown hair and stormy grey eyes._

_ She nearly burst into laughter at their gaping stares and perhaps it had been selfish of her to indulge in one more day of sunbathing before the boys arrived home for the summer. Thankfully she had on a black bikini, and that Davos was working in his shop. A few hours earlier and the boys would have gotten another view entirely. _

_ “You must be Steffon and Maric” Sansa stood, moving her sunglasses to her hair. _

_ “Uh…” the shorter of the two said._

_ “I’m Sansa” she explained. _

_ “You’re Sansa? YOU'RE the fiance?” the taller asked._

_ “Yes” she smiled. “I take it your father didn’t tell you…”_

_ “Oh no, he told us” the shorter, Maric she’d guess said._

_ “He just didn’t TELL us” Steffon added. _

_ “Boys!” Davos emerged from the workshop, wiping his hand on a rag as he climbed the steps to the balcony. “You’re early, that’s great!” he hugged each of his boys before wrapping an arm around her waist. “I see you’ve met Sansa.” _

_ “We have” Steffon nodded. _

_ “How?” Maric's question was cut off when his brother elbowed him and Sansa barely stifled a laugh. _

_ “I think what my brother means is…”_

_ “How?” Maric repeated, and Davos’ furrowed brow broke her reserve, her laughter echoing in the yard._

The boys had come around quickly when they realized that Sansa wasn’t a fortune hunter or psycho (their words), and soon they were at ease around her, as they would be any stepmother. They both seemed to love Lady, and Lady them, so it helped to ease the way. 

After moving to Storm’s End, Sansa sent off a dozen rolls of film for development and when she received the copies back, she knew that she had captured _Storm’s End_ with the images. The local people, the business, the feel of it all had been captured. Her photos of Davos working on his ships were her favorite, but she was inherently biased. 

Regardless, she approached the city council with several copies of the photos and, upon her suggestions, they had started a board for tourism. With her knowledge of design and marketing, she helped to transform the sleepy city into a destination for vacationers worldwide. 

This meant local businesses were booming and more profitable than ever, enabling them to make improvements to the city and infrastructure, meaning the roads no longer flooded and they had more than one motel. 

She had also worked very hard to bring Storm’s End Classics into the digital world. Creating a website and social media presence for Davos’ work that put him in the eyes of celebrities and the wealthy alike. 

This meant her husband was busier than ever, but it also enabled him to bring on a second employee, Gendry Waters, a young man originally from King’s Landing and a damned good worker. 

Gendry, of course, had caught Ayra’s eye on her last visit, but that is a story for another time. 

Quickly showering and dressing in dark jeans and a Christmas sweater, Sansa made her way downstairs, finding Davos and the boys making breakfast. Well, mostly the boys, Davos was supervising as he held the newest Seaworth, Aurora Marie in his arms. 

“Merry Christmas!” Sansa smiled, hugging the boys before kissing her husband. “Merry Christmas, Love.” 

“Merry Christmas” Davos smiled and Aurora, now four-months old, let out a cry of excitement at seeing her mother. 

Davos had never failed to grant her any wish she should have, and it didn’t take long after she wished for a baby for Aurora to arrive. She was beautiful, with her dark brown hair and stormy eyes, she was a proud Seaworth that had two fiercely protective older brothers already. 

Davos was a wonderful father, as she suspected he always had been, and he helped her through every step of her pregnancy and held her hand during the labor, both of them forbidding her mother from entering the room. 

A knock at the door sounded and Maric rushed to open it, the Baratheon’s entering on a flurry of snow, both of them with hands filled with bags. 

“Merry Christmas!” Shireen yelled. “Merry Christmas Aunty Sansa!” 

“Merry Christmas, darling” Sansa hugged them both, smiling kindly at Stannis, who, had become one of her closest friends as well. She learned long ago that Stannis had been the urging force that brought her and Davos together and she would always be grateful. 

Lady ran to Shireen’s side, tail wagging as girl and wolf ran to the fireplace. A large Christmas tree nearly dominated the space, the house now feeling more like a home than ever before. 

The great Northern winter had kept her family in Wintertown, so they would celebrate Christmas with them once they were able to travel. Introducing Davos to her family have been awkward at first, but as soon as he had won Arya’s approval, the others seemed to come around. Her mother, of course, being the last to accept him into the Stark fold. Davos maintained that Aurora had a lot to do with that, as Catelyn was a very attentive Grandmother.

“Don’t forget about breakfast” Stannis said to Shireen who nodded before returning to Lady. Stannis shook Davos and the boys’ hands, all of them exchanging Christmas greetings as they finished breakfast. 

“Alright, chow time missy” Davos called to Shireen and she ran to the table, Lady at her heels. 

“Merry Christmas, Uncle Davos” she smiled brightly, sitting between Steffon and Maric. 

Sansa helped carry the last of the plates to the table, pouring the guys coffee before taking her seat beside her husband. Davos took her hand, holding Aurora to his chest with the other, and she looked up to see him smiling back at her. 

“I love you” he said softly. 

“I love you” she replied and Maric made a gagging noise. “You’re grounded” she said without turning to face him, winking instead at Davos. 

The others laughed, Maric pouting and she looked around the table, seeing the family that she had found in the most unexpected way. She could never have prayed for such love, such happiness. She had been too afraid to give up her shell of a life in King’s Landing to try for something more, but from the moment she met Davos, she knew that her life, half-lived, would never be enough. 

With him, together, they lived full, abundant lives. Lives without fear.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
Follow me on tumblr for pic sets and more shenanigans!  
@the-red-wulf or https://the-red-wulf.tumblr.com/
> 
> Special shoutout to this youtube channel for teaching me about ship building...  
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClPa3pmqKwApysaYi7B7Nlg


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